The Nature Consortium, a non-profit corporation, has reported that last week their restoration project storage container was vandalized and all of their tools stolen.

Thieves broke in by damaging the padlock and emptying out all of the container’s contents. A multitude of tools used for large work parties were lost including, pruners, machetes, a brush cutter, a chainsaw, extra blades, and a pop-up tent used for shelter and sign-in purposes.

The Nature Consortium has calculated their loss to be $1,324.30 worth of materials. Currently, the restoration team is working to secure the container and to replace the equipment. Donations to help replace the lost equipment can be made at the Nature Consortium's Web site.

The restoration project team has planned two work party events this year on April 18 at Cooper Elementary School and April 25. Last year, at their Earth Day work party, more than 400 volunteers came out and accomplished a tremendous amount of work, removing invasive species, maintaining new plantings, and spreading loads of cardboard and mulch on many acres of the greenbelt.

The Nature Consortium is a grassroots, community-based organization whose mission is to teach environmental lessons through the creative arts and hands-on conservation projects. Each year they produce a Youth Art Program, an Urban Forest Restoration Project and the Arts-in-Nature Festival.